Caisson-pit-digging machine



March 3, 1931. F. N. ROPP CAISSON PIT DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1927' s Sheets-Sheet 2 A TORNEY. 1

March 3, 1931. F. N. ROPP CAISSON PIT DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 25. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 3, i 1931 are Tire-lice:

FRANKLIN 1v. norr, OFLOS ANGELES, ceriromvrir oaIsson-PI'r-DIGeINGMACHINE This invention relates to and has for a. primary object-the provision of a new and improved type of caisson pit digging-machine, embodying self-contained mechanisms l and devices for rotating the digger and for anchoring the same in the pit, whereby the digger may be rendered operative't'or predetermined depths and removed for disposing of thelooseinaterial. An importantobject of'my'inventionis to provide a machine for the purpose described which will embody a self-contained motor or other source of'power, so as to more read-' ily permit" of th'e'removal of-the machine from "and its insertion in the pit;

Heretofore it. has been the practice in dig:

ging' caisson pits totdrive the digger from a:

point on the surface: of .the ground above the pit, through theinstrumentality otanielongated sectional driving shatter-stem, and due to this fact the diameter ofthetfpits'to be. dug by the: machines I have beennecessarily limited;

Accordingly; it is an object of 1 invening power is applied to the periphery ofrthe digging cylinder; and. 111 I which they source of powenrasxfor instance an electric: motor,

is axially; mounted withini= the cylinder,

3 thereby providing a maximum of driving power and imakingiit possible to dig pits-of substantially greater diameter than has heretoitore beenpossible with otherfdevices.

vA further object is-to provide a differential mechanism connected with the rotating means forthe digger and also operably con nected with anchoringdevices and so ar-. ranged that upon the initial application of power thedifi'ere'nti'alwill be efiective for operating the anchoringdevi'ces, and there after effective in turn for rendering thedig ger operative.

Another object is to provide means where'- by uponthe removal of the macli-ine fro'mthe 1 pit the anchoring devices may berendered".

innnediatelyiinoperative, sethatthe removal. and reinsertion of the machinesmaybeiacil itated. i g 1 [Other objects will" appear I the =d-escrip tion progresses. I Y I embotion to provide a machine: in which the drivhers Bend R- supported in the members F' Application filed April 25, 1927; Serial No. 186g40.

I have: shown a preferred and practical dimentof' my invention in the accom" p ny-ing drawings, subject to modification within the scope ofthe appended claims with: out'departing from the spirit thereof.

lnsaid rdrawingsz Fig. 1 is a perspective vieW of my'iinproved machine operatively positioned in acaisson pit; 1

Fig; 1a is a transverse section of the same? ondine Jl1 of Fig; l

Fig." 2 isa'fragmentary perspective view of-a portion of thema'chi'ne, showing-thermachoring mechanism;

Fig. 3 1S ZUSQCtlOIlLl elevation of the same-on- I line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. t'is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view'of means for feeding the dig.- ger downwardly 1n the pit during a digging operatlon;

Fig. 5 is a seo'tional'plzin ofithe machine on line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectionalplan of-thesame-on line 66' of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan of the same on line 77 'ofFig. 1'. I

It will be understood in the consideration of my-invention that the mechanismv shown" and described. while primarily designed for the purpose or" "digging'la'rgeh'oles-or ip'its for caissons and the: like, maybe employed successfully for other purposes. For instan ce, substantially thesame inechanisminaybe-employed horizontally or vertically for boring.

out large castings,.pipes, cylinders-and the '85 like, with minor modifications so as to render the same'adaptable'for such purposes.

Briefly described, myinvention embodies a'cylindrical digger C in which is operably mounted a motor M, axially supported inthe digger andoperatively, connected, by means hereinafter described in' detail, 'With and adaptedto rotate-the digger in a given di rectionwh'en the sameis effective'for digging the hole. 7

Upon the diggerC ismounted supporting members i and I for the operating mechanism arranged as-siiown in Fig. 1. The 7 mechanism includes azpairor more of memand H and having the form of racks, designed for the purpose of feeding the digger C downwardly from the motor M and members F, H and I when the anchoring devices L and L mounted upon the member I are positioned for anchoring the operating mechanism of the digger in the pit.

The digger C is provided with a bottom G thereof having a pair or more of openings 0 and O on one of the edges of which in each case is mounted a knife as'at' K,which depends downwardly from the bottom C and may be disposed at an angle corresponding to the conical form of the bottom of the hole for affording best results.

he members F and H are permanently connected together by means of bolts as at'2,

2, etc, extending through peripheral flanges 3 and l form d on said members, respectively. Likewise the member I is attached to a reduced portion 5 at the top of member H by means of bolts 6. I

The motor M is enclosed in a separable case ing including an upper member F having a depending portion m and a lower membenm,

which are suitably attached together by means of bolts 7. The member or is disc-like in form and is extended substantially beyond the periphery of the member on so that the "outer periphery 8 thereof will conform sub stantially to the internal diameter of the member 0. Thus the member m will serve as a guide for member C when the same is longitudinally moved with respect-to mem ber m.

The members F and H are of substantially the same diameter as the cylinder C and'are provided with extensions f and h, respectively, at points on their peripheries, for slidably receiving and holding a pair or more of racks R andR, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper portions of said racists extendthrough openings 9 in themember I, while the lower ends thereof are provided with ribs 10 which are held internally of the cylinder C between annularribs 11 and 12 respectively, formed on or attached to said cylinder so that when the racks are forced upwardly or downwardly with the application of power, the cylinder will. be moved correspondingly.

The driving spindle S is rotatably mount ed, and axially positoned in the machine and has its lower portion held in a fricton-less thrust bearing 13 in a ourna-l 14 in the lower member m. Said spindle is additonally ournaled in a bearing 15 in the center of member F, and in bearings 16 and 17 in the members H I. The upper end of thespindle projects above the member I and is adaptedto receive a gear pulley or sprocket whereby a sump pump may be operated fo pumping "out the liquid contents of the pit if desirable, though this IS not material to my invention.

"The upper annular rib 11 on the cylinder C is provided with teethon the inner periphery thereof forming an internal gear G, which is meshed with and driven by a pair or more of uniformly spaced elongated driving pinions g and g. Said pinions are mounted on vertical shafts 18 which are journaled in portions 19 and 20, respectively, of the members F and m.

Inwardly of the pinions g and g, I provide a set of differential gears for each of the pinions and g, said gears being mount ed on vertical shafts 21 and 21 which are journaled in the members F and H. Each of said differentials includes vertically spaced bevel gears D and D mounted on the shafts 21 and 21, and right angularly disposed bevel gears horizontally spaced apart as at cl and Z and meshing with the gears D and D.

recessed as shown in Fig. l to provide for a the mounting of the gears (Z and cl thereon. The gear D in each of said differentials is operatively connected with a pinion P by means of a sleeve 2 for driving the pinion P so as to communicate power to the upper end of the elongated pinions g and g.

The gear G ofeach dilferential is operatively connected with a driving pinion A on the spindle S by means of intermediate gears a and a which are journaled in bearings 23 and 24 in the members H and F, respectively. Thus, power is communicated from the motor spindle S to the internal driven gear G of the digging cylinder C.

The member H is provided with an annular portion 25 on which is mounted a ring the external teeth 26 of the ring gear E, so

that power may be communicated from the differentials G, G through the gears cl, d, D and pinion P to the member E, for purposes hereinafter described.

Upon the top of the uppermost member I, I provide a pair or more anchoring devices as at L and L which are adapted to be operatively connected with the ring gear E so that on the initial application of power to the machine said devices L and L will be expanded or forced outwardly from the periphery of the member I into forcible contact with the wall 30 of the hole 31 in which the machine is operatively positioned, for the purpose of holding the digging mechanism, with the expanded or moved outwardly'into. forcible members L and L.

tation and elevation in the hole 31.

The anchoring mechanism includes shoes Land L of substantial area, with arcuate portions '32 and ribs 33 on the inner sides thereof which are pivotally connected with horizontal slides 34 having clevises 35 on the outer ends thereof pivotall connected by means of pins or bolts 36 to t eribs 33 of the Said slides are. extensibly' mounted in a pair of bearing straps 37 and 37 which are secured to the upper side of themember I by means of bolts 38.

Inwardly of the members 37 the anchor ing' devices are provided with rotatable shafts 39 held in slotted lugs 40 formed on the memberI and provided with enlarged heads 41 confined in slots 42 in the slides'34, as shown in Fig. 2. Said shafts 39 inwardly of the lugs 40 and directly above the ring gear "E areprovided with worms 43 of segmental cross section, which may be suitably attachedto the shafts 39 or integrally formed therewith. The inner ends of worms 43 are loosely connected with squared portions 44 of shafts 45, which are pivotally held in spaced bearings 46 and 46 formed on and eX- tending above the member I.

The member I is provided with apertures 47 .in the top-intermediate the lugs 40 and46,

the threads on the periphery of said worm will engage the threads 27 on the upper face of the ring gearvE. The threads27 on member E, as hereinbeforestated, are spirally formed so that when member E is rotated the worms 43' will be moved longitudinally and the members :34 will be correspondingly moved due to. their connection I with the d shafts 39 hereinbefore described.

Accordingly, when power is applied to member E the members L and L will be eX- contact .with the wall 30 ofthe hole3l" for clamping the wall of the pit to holdthe op-.

"erating mechanism stationary during the operation of the machine.

It will be noted that the worms 43 are pro vided with cordal facets 48 which, when the worms 43 are turned for a portion of a revo- 'lution ina clock-wise direction, .as seen in Fig. 2, will release said worms from operativeenga-gement with the. ring gear E. In-such eventcoil springs'49 whichare carried on the shafts 39 between the outerends the same removable from the pit at will. For

this purpose the squared portion 44 of the shaft isslidably though rotatably connectedwith the worms 43. I i

The outer portionsof the shafts e fixed to the hubs5Qofflevers5l between Above the member I, I provide an annular member N which is slidably connected to and held on the member I by means of a. plur'ality of bolts or studs as at 54, 54, etc. attached to the member I by means of nuts 55, on opposite sides of the member I and carrying 'nuts 56 at their upper ends. The member N is positioned between the nuts 55 and 5 6 and the bolts 54 extend through portions 57,

57 thereon.

Said member N may be provided with pair oftransverseribs 58, 58 having spaced lugs 59 depending therefrom and adapted to.

be pivotally connected at points 60 with the upper ends of the links 53 connected with the anchoring mechanism. The member N is also connected with a plurality of lifting chainsas at T, connected by means of Lbolts 61, 61, etc., with said chains at a plurality of points, and the chains T may be commonly connected with a larger singlechain for lifting and removing the entire mechanism from the pit. I

When the device is about to beremoved fronr-the I pit and te'nsionfis placed on the chains T, the member N will slide upwardly on the bolts- 54 and: will serve to elevate the-links 53. Thisoperation effects a sufficient rotation ofitheshafts 45 and fworms 43 to disengage said worms from themember to release them echanism for removal.

The driving spindle S is provided with a worm W intermediate the members I and H,

which meshes with. and drives at uniformly spaced points "a plurality of worms as at A, A, which are carried on substantially parallel and oppositely extended shafts 62, 62. Said shafts are journaled in spaced lugs 63, 63,.f0rmedon the central POI'tiOIIGftqOfimemberH, and extendthrough apertures .of said member, as

in the annular portion shown inF g. 4. v

Near the outer periphery of the member the upper face of the member Hand the inner face of the member I are provided, respectively, WlilllglllClQ-WQYS 66 andf67 in vertical alinement with; each other, and in which they lowerand upper arms .68 and 69,respectively,

of slidablemembers 70' areslida-bly held. Said members 70 each carry a worm 71 and a worm gear 7 2, arranged one above the'other and rotatably held between and on the arms 1 68 and .69 of said members.

I The worms 71 are adapted to meshwith and to elevateandlower the racks RandF, while the worm gears '4' 2 are adapted to mesh with and to be drivenby worms 73 on the outer extremities of the shafts f 62. Saidshafts may be additionally journaled in bearings'7 l, depending from the member I. Thus during the operation of the spindle S the worms 73 serve to drive the worm gears 72 and the worms 71 which are connected'for racks R and R at will, for purposes hereinafter described. To this end the members 70 are retracti'oly and extenslbly connected with the member-H by means of a pair of toggle arms 75 and 76, which are pivoted at points 77 and 7 8, respectively, to lugs 79 on the inner sides of members 70, and t0 lugs 80 extended upwardly from the member H. Said toggle arms 75 and 76 are pivotally connected together at their inner extremities and also to an operating link 81 by means of a chain or bolt 82, as shown in Fig. 4:.

Inasmuch as it is necessary to render the racks R and I inoperative when the machine is removed from the pit, the members 81 are pivotally connected to depending lugs 83 on the annular member N, so that when tension is applied to the chain T for removing the machine from thepit the upward movement of member N will elevate the members '81 and break the toggle joint between the members 7 5 and 76. Thus the slides 70, together with the worm wheel 72 and the worm 71 Will be moved inwardly for a sufiicient distance to disengage the worm wheels 71 from the racks R and R.

In operation, it will be observed that power is communicated differentially to and for rotatin the digging cylinder C and the ring gear E through the instrumentality of the pinion A, the idler gears a and a, the dift'erential gears D, D, cl and (Z and the associated spur gears G, G, said differential gears being connected to the internal gear G "through the medium of the pinions P and the driving pinion g.

Likewise the power is communicated from the differential through the member E to the pinion P.

lVhen the machine is deposited in the pit or in position for beginning a digging operation, the weight of the entire mechanism being substantially great, the inertia of the mechanism will effect the communication of power initially'to the ring gear E through the diii'erential operation of the gears D, D, d and d. This rotation of the member E relative t0 the members C, F, H and I Will cause the extension of the anchor shoes L and L into forcible engagement with the wall 30 of the pit, or with other'elements installed,

for instance at the beginning of an oper-- ation, for the purpose of holding the memions;

operate to communicate power to the internal gear G for setting up rotation of the digger C.

' At the beginning of a digging operation the position of the several members supporting the driving mechanism is substantially as shown in Fig. 1, with the upper end of the driving pinions g and gin mesh with the internal gear Gr, but as the cutters K, K, on

the bottom of the cylinder are rotated-with the cylinder C the earth and material which is cut at the bottom of the pit '31 is forced upwardly through the openings 0 and O in the cylinder into the chamber between the bottom C and the member m. As the pit is deepened'by. the operation of the cylinder C and the earth and matter accumulates in said cylinder, the members F, H, I and m, together with the mechanism supported thereon, are correspondingly elevated and the driving pinions g and g are elevated with respect to the internal gear Gr.

The range otoperativeness of the machine corresponds to the length of the pinions g and g, and the depth of the pit or hole formed by the cylinder C in each operation will be determined by the length of said driving pin- In order that the earth and matter may be retained in the bottom of the cylinder C, I may provide a common expedient as shown in Fig. 1a. Said device may consist of a flap 84 of flexible material, suitably secured at a plurality of points 85 to the sides of the openings 0 and O and'having their free edges overlapping the opposite sides of said openings. Thus the pressure of the material from below will elevate the flaps 84: so that the material may pass through the openings 0 and 0, but the weight of the material above when the machine is removed from the pit will. serve to press the flaps 8d downwardly over and to close theopenings O and O to prevent the loss otthe material therefrom, except as desired.

The operative connection of the racks R and R with the driving spindle S, as shown in Fig. 4 and hereinbefore described, insures the hole.

At the completion of each digging operatlon, by placing tension on the chains T the member N may be elevated for disengaging and retracting the anchors L and L and alsofor disengaging the worms 71 from the racks and B. At such time said racks will "and the mechanism mounted thereon being moved by gravity into contact with the upper end of the digger C, as shown in Fig. 1.

I lVhen tension on the chains T is released the member N will-settle downwardly and reenga ge the worms 71 with the racks, while at the same time re-engaging the worms 43 with the member E. Thus when the motor M is reenergized the initial application of power to the differentials will ef ect the setting of the anchor so as to immovably hold the machine in the pit and to render the digger C operative for extending the depth of the pit during a subsequent operation.

What I claim is:

1. A caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical di ger rotatably and longitudinally movable with respect thereto, a self-contained power mechanism supported on said frame and operatively connected with said digger, and power operated anchoring device, and means for connecting the anchoring devices with said power mechanism for holding the same stationary during theoperation of the digger. I

2. A caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a'cylindrical digger rotatably and longitudinally movable with respect thereto, a self-contained power mechanism supported on said frame and operatively connected with said digger, anchoring devices operatively connected with mechanism for holding the same stationary during the operation of the digger, and means for differentially connecting said digger and said anchoring devices with said power mechanism for rendering the anchoring de vices and the digger'successively effective, as described.

3. A caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical digger rotatably and longitudinally movable with respect thereto, a self-contained power mechanism supported 011 said frame and operatively connected with said digger, anchoring devices operatively connected with said power mechanism for holding the same stationary during the operation of the digger, means for differentially connecting said digger and said anchoring devices with said power mechanism for rendering the anchoring devices and the digger successively eflective, and means for releasing said anchoring devices to permit the removal of themachine from the pit.

4. A machine of the character described in said power 8. A boring eluding 'a 'franie, a driving .mechanism mou-iitedthereon, a cylinder rotatable and longitudinally movable on said frame, allChOI'lIlg devices for holding saidframe and said driving mechanism stationary during theoperationofsaidcylinder, and differential nieans' connectingjsaidanchoring devices and said cylin der with said driving mechanism 'forrendering said anchoring devices initially {operative for clamping the machine in position for use, and for rendering said cylinder thereafter operative, as described.

*5; i A boring machine comprising a frame,

a driving inechanism thereon, a boring member o-perativelysupportedon said frame, in-

dependent means operatively connecting said driving mechanism with and for simultaneously rotating and lowering said boring mem- *bei: iii-the hole, anchoring devices and means for applyingpower from said driving mechanism to the anchoring devices for preventing the movement of said-frame during the opera- :tlO1l.,,0'f the boring member, an'dmeans for rendering said lowering means and said anchoringmeans inoperative at will, for the H purpose described.

'6 1A boringfmachine comprising a frame, a driving mechanism mounted thereon, a cylinder rotatably and F6011)I'OCflbljfllTlQllIltQCl with respect to saidfrani-e, anchoring devices forholdi ig said frame against rotation, and

differential gearing connecting said anchoringjdevices and "said boring cylinder for rendering said elements operative successively. f., Y ,fl I

7. A boring machine comprising a frame, a drivingmechanjism mounted thereon, a cylinder rotatably jand reciprocably mounted with respectfto saidframe, anchoring devices for holding said frame against rotation, differential gearing connecting said anchoring devicesan'd said 'boringjcylinder for rendering said elements operative successively, and

means for releasing saidanchoring devices when the operation of the boring member is discontinued. p I I y machine including a frame having a driving mechanism mounted thereon, a cylindrical boring member at one end of said frame provided with cutters at the end thereof, means connected with said drivmechanism for rotating said boring memwith, respect to said frame, means also connectedwith said driving mechanism for longitudinally extending said boring memher during the rotation, thereof with respect to sa d frame, means for disengagingsaid 'n means from the driving mechanism tolpe'r m'it the retraction of said boring .niei'iibeif and meansconnected with saiddriving mechanism for automatically anchoring saia rraifne said'driving mechanism during the peration of said boring member,

t A. caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical digger rotatably nally moving the digger, said gearing includinga ring gear on the digger, and a plurality of elongated pinions mounted on said frame and engaging the ring gear for permitting the reciprocation of the digger to correspond to the length of said pinions.

10. A caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical digger rotat-aloly and reciprocably mounted on said frame, a

power mechanism mounted on-said frame, gearing connecting said power mechanism and said digger for rotating and moving the digger longitudinally, said gearing includ ing a ring gear on the digger, and a plurality of elongated pinions mounted on said frame and engaging the ring gear for permitting the reciprocation of the digger to correspond to the length of said pinions, and means for limiting the reciprocating movement of the digger.

11. A caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical digger rotatably and slidably mounted on said frame, a power mechanism mounted on said frame, gearing connecting said power mechanism and said digger for rotatating and longitudinally moving the digger, said gearing including a ring gear on the digger, and a plurality of elongated pinions mounted on said frame and engaging the ring gear for permitting the longitudinal movement of the digger to correspond to the length of said pinions, and anchoring devices differentially connected with said power mechanism for stationarily holding said frame in a pit.

12; A caisson pit digging machine comprising a frame, a cylindrical digger rotatably and slidably mounted on said frame, a power mechanism mounted on said frame, gearing connecting said power mechanism and said digger for rotating and longitudinally moving the digger, said gearing including a ring gear on the digger, and a plurality of elongated pinions mounted on said frame and engag ing the ring gear for permitting the longitudinal movement of the digger to correspond to the length of said pinions, anchoring devices differentially connected with said power mechanism for stationarily holding said frame in a pit, and means for rendering said anchoring devices inoperative at will.

13. A caisson pit digging mechanism comprising driving means, a cylindrical boring member encompassing said driving means, means operably connecting said digger with saiddriving means for rotation and longitudinal movement, anchoring devices for holding the machine against rotation in a pit, and gearing connecting said driving means FRANKLIN N. ROPP. 

